Feb 8, 2013

4 week Challenge

First I'll update you on the status of my injury....still injured :( Rather than push myself to work out today, I'm going to give it one more day and give it a go tomorrow. We're in the middle of snowmagedon here in the Northeast, so I should have plenty of time to get a workout in while I'm snowed in! Fingers crossed we don't lose power this time!

So I've been getting a whole lot of emails lately from every weight loss company out there (mostly because I have tried them all at one point and am on their email lists)....Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Nutrisytem...you name it. I'm also on some of the Beachbody lists, so I get emails about programs like Shakeology, and cleanses like Advocare. I'm not here to diss any of these systems. I think they have their place, and for some people, they work really well, but for me, none of them gave me lasting results. Why? Well because diets don't work....lifestyle changes do.

I always lost weight on these programs, and always gained back every single pound plus some when I went off the program. I think these programs can be good for a jump start, but if you don't realize that it's the lifestyle change that will keep the weight off, they will do no good. And it got me thinking...why is it that these programs are so effective in the short term? Well, they give you a very regimented program to stick to, and you pay a lot of money for them, so you are motivated to make it work so you don't waste your hard earned dollars. What if you were just really strict with your regimen for 4 weeks? Meaning you didn't cheat on your diet, you exercised regularly, and didn't give in to pizza and ice cream on a weekly basis? You'd probably lose the same amount of weight as you would on one of these pay programs, because ANYTHING can work if you stick with it for long enough.

So here's what I'm thinking...if money is the motivating factor, would any of my readers be interested in doing a Diet Bet with me? We could set the stakes low, $20 per person (or we could go high if you want the extra motivation!) If you haven't done a diet bet before, it's a website that hosts a weight loss challenge for you, and you're only compteting against yourself! You have to lose 4% of your body weight in 4 weeks to "win", and the winnings get divided equally between anyone who hits their goal.

You have to send in picture verification at the beginning and end of the bet of you on the scale so they staff makes sure no one is cheating. So...instead of spending $200 on a system that will be temporary, you spend $20 on a system that would encourage you to stick to healthy eating and exercise, AND you could get your money back at the end. Interested? Leave me a comment and let me know, I'd love to see what our results are compared to an offical weight loss program!